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HarperVoyager
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd
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London SE1 9GF
First published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2018
Copyright © George R.R. Martin and the Wild Cards Trust 2018
See Copyright Acknowledgements page for further copyright information
Cover images © Shutterstock.com 2018
Cover design by Mike Topping © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2018
George R.R. Martin and the Wild Cards Trust 2018 assert the moral right to be identified as the authors of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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Source ISBN: 9780008285197
Ebook Edition © October 2018 ISBN: 9780008239626
Version: 2019-05-07
To Pat Rogers
the one who escaped
(we all miss you)
Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Texas Hold ’Em
Bubbles and the Band Trip by Caroline Spector: Prologue
Tuesday
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 1
The Secret Life of Rubberband by Max Gladstone: Part 1
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 2
The Secret Life of Rubberband: Part 2
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 3
Jade Blossom’s Brew by William F. Wu
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 4
Wednesday
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 5
Beats, Bugs, and Boys by Diana Rowland: Part 1
The Secret Life of Rubberband: Part 3
Beats, Bugs, and Boys: Part 2
The Secret Life of Rubberband: Part 4
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 6
Beats, Bugs, and Boys: Part 3
The Secret Life of Rubberband: Part 5
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 7
The Secret Life of Rubberband: Part 6
Beats, Bugs, and Boys: Part 4
Thursday
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 8
Dust and the Darkness by Victor Milán: Part 1
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 9
The Secret Life of Rubberband: Part 7
Dust and the Darkness: Part 2
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 10
Dust and the Darkness: Part 3
Is Nobody Going to San Antone? by Walton Simons
Dust and the Darkness: Part 4
Friday
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 11
Drop City by David Anthony Durham
Saturday
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 12
Sunday
Bubbles and the Band Trip: Part 13
The Wild Cards Universe
About the Publisher
‘Bubbles and the Band Trip’ copyright © 2018 by Caroline Spector
‘The Secret Life of Rubberband’ copyright © 2018 by Max Gladstone
‘Jade Blossom’s Brew’ copyright © 2018 by William F. Wu
‘Beats, Bugs, and Boys’ copyright © 2018 by Diana Rowland
‘Is Nobody Going to San Antone?’ copyright © 2018 by Walton Simons
‘Dust and the Darkness’ copyright © 2018 by Victor Milán
‘Drop City’ copyright © 2018 by David Anthony Durham
The most popular poker variant in casinos. Two hole cards are dealt facedown to each player. Then five community cards are dealt faceup in three rounds: the flop, the turn, and the river. Each player seeks to make the best five-card hand from the combination of the community cards and his own hole cards.